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Dr. Imogen R. Coe, Professor, Chem. & Biol. Ryerson U.

Affiliate Scientist, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto

@ImogenRCoePhDdrimogencoe

www.ryerson.ca/edistemVice President, CSMB

EDIinSTEM:Whatitis,whyyouwantit

&howtogetit

Canadian Society for Molecular BiosciencesPromoting and advancing molecular understanding of biology

Société canadienne pour les biosciences moléculairesPromotion et avancement de la compréhension moléculaire de la biologie

Canadian Society for Molecular BiosciencesPromoting and advancing molecular understanding of biology

Société canadienne pour les biosciences moléculairesPromotion et avancement de la compréhension moléculaire de la biologie

LeptonPhoton2019TorontoAugust4th

“Ryerson is at the heart of Toronto, and Toronto is in the'Dish With One Spoon Territory’. The Dish With One Spoonis a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas andHaudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory andprotect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations andpeoples, Europeans and all newcomers have been invitedinto this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship andrespect."

RyersonUniversityLandAcknowledgementhttps://www.ryerson.ca/aec/land-acknowledgement/

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“Ryerson is at the heart of Toronto, and Toronto is in the'Dish With One Spoon Territory’. The Dish With One Spoonis a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas andHaudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory andprotect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations andpeoples, Europeans and all newcomers have been invitedinto this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship andrespect."

RyersonUniversityLandAcknowledgementhttps://www.ryerson.ca/aec/land-acknowledgement/

Landacknowledgementisacalltoaction– whatisyourresponse?

Professor, Research Scientist, Academic Leader, Board Member, Advocate, Policy-Advisor

https://www.ryerson.ca/edistem/

Grane-Boladeras etal.2019FASEBJ.

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Yammine etal.2018

Coeetal.2019 TheLancet2015

2017

2017

EDIinSTEM:Whatisit?

Equity– activefairness,identifying&removingbarriers,bias,etc.,NB:≠equality

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EDIinSTEM:Whatisit?

Equity– activefairness,identifying&removingbarriers,bias,etc.,NB:≠equality

Diversity– awarenessofdifferences(race,ethnicity,gender,sexualorientation,socio-economicstatus,

age,physicalabilitiesetc.)

EDIinSTEM:Whatisit?

Equity– activefairness,identifying&removingbarriers,bias,etc.,NB:≠equality

Diversity– awarenessofdifferences(race,ethnicity,gender,sexualorientation,socio-economicstatus,

age,physicalabilitiesetc.) Lookaroundtheroomrightnow

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EDIinSTEM:Whatisit?

Equity– activefairness,identifying&removingbarriers,bias,etc.,NB:≠equality

Diversity– awarenessofdifferences(race,ethnicity,gender,sexualorientation,socio-economicstatus,

age,physicalabilitiesetc.)

Inclusion– ensuringtheactiveparticipationinanorganization,group,structure,etc.

Quote:“asenseofbelongingistheheartbeatofinclusion”

Lookaroundtheroomrightnow

EDIinSTEM:Whatisit?

Equity– activefairness,identifying&removingbarriers,bias,etc.,NB:≠equality

Diversity– awarenessofdifferences(race,ethnicity,gender,sexualorientation,socio-economicstatus,

age,physicalabilitiesetc.)

Inclusion– ensuringtheactiveparticipationinanorganization,group,structure,etc.

Quote:“asenseofbelongingistheheartbeatofinclusion”

Lookaroundtheroomrightnow

Payattentiontowhoisparticipatingindialogueordecisionmaking.Allyship.

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We live in a world awash with stereotypes (including about what a scientist looks like and how a scientist should behave). Academic science, like society, integrates racism, sexism, homophobic, ableism, ageism etc. structurally. There are barriers built on stereotypes.

The Myth of Meritocracy Protects Those with Power & Privilege

Thatacademiaisameritocracyisameasurable(byacademics)falsehood

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MichaelKaufman

“Scientists base their professional identities

on being objective, forgetting they are

human”

Scientists/engineersarethemostresistanttoacceptingandbelievingthedata&evidenceinsupportofgender+bias,alongwithmaintainingafirmbeliefinmeritocracydespiteampleevidence(i.e.scholarship)thatmeritocracyisamyth.

Math&physicsaredisciplineswithhigherlevels(cf.chemistry&biology)ofbeliefinfixedmind-setversusgrowthmindset–forgender,race,ethnicity,etc.

The Myth of Meritocracy Protects Those with Power & Privilege

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRezSINPbME&t=2841&fbclid=IwAR2eeKyVb8bm2VPvVjiX5l461jEyrtEcLlKhjGzqMW38PEsc6ru380YvQNs

July24th 2019

Excellentprimeronthedata&evidenceforbiasinSTEM

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EDIinSTEM:Whyyouwantit?

EDIinSTEM:Whyyouwantit

BecauseyougetbetterscienceBecauseyougetbetterinnovation

BecauseyougetbetterROI

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Failure to incorporate diversity into science & medicine leads to very bad science & medicine e.g. AI, tech, drugs, genomics

”Increasedattentiontodiversitywillincreasetheaccuracy,utilityandacceptabilityofusinggenomicinformationforclinicalcare”.

https://genderedinnovations.stanford.edu/

EDIinSTEM:Whyyouwantit

BecauseyougetbetterscienceBecauseyougetbetterinnovation

BecauseyougetbetterROI

Becauseyouneedittomeetfundingexpectations(CIHR,NERC,CRCs,CERCs,NIH)

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Looking for a grant?SGBA+ incorporated into research mandatory @ CIHR, NSERC, SSHRCDemonstrate EDI for HQP component (30%) @ NSERC

EDI in the plan

SGBA+ in the research proposal

REVIEWER SCORE CARD

Bio-physicistsMedicalphysicists

NOT– howmanygirlsdoyouhaveinthelab!ExplainhowEDIisacorevalueforyourtrainingprogram

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EDIinSTEM:Whyyouwantit

BecauseyougetbetterscienceBecauseyougetbetterinnovation

BecauseyougetbetterROI

Becauseyouneedittomeetfundingexpectations(CIHR,NERC,CRCs,CERCs,NIH)

Becauseitmakesyouabetterscientistbeingawareofbiasinallaspectsofthescientificendeavour (technical,

human,etc)allowsustoworktowardsremovingbiaswhileopeningmoreavenuesforinquiry,broaderquestions,moreaccurateanswers&the

identificationofrealexcellence

EDIinSTEM:Howtogetit

Rememberthis:Awareness-Education-Actions-Outcomes

Everyone:Learn,learnaboutwhatworksandwhatdoesn’t,takeactionbasedonwhatworks

(evidence-basedapproaches,systems-approaches,individualreponsibility – forall)andmeasure

outcomestoseeifactionsleadtopositivechange

Natureofactionwilldependonwhoandwhereyouare– memberofdominantgroup,trainee,pre-tenurefaculty,tenuredfaculty,academicleader,

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Facultymembers(lookforsmall,visiblechangesthatwilladdup):Departmentallevel:Collectdata.Settargets.Lookatexternalappearance– areyouawelcomingdepartmenttoeveryone.Imagery,photos,context,infrastructure?Whataboutyourseminarseries– isitdiverse?IncludetalksonEDI,profdevelopment?Knowyourrights(tenureclock,leave),learntoself-advocate(POC,URMs).Knowyourinstitutionalpolicies&requirementsre:EDIHiringcommittees:(Dr.BryanGaenslers lecture).Berigorous!Reviewapplicationswithadeepawarenessofimplicitbias– TAKETHEHARVARDIMPLICITBIASTEST.Weareallbiased(cf.Dr.Maydianne Andrade).Lettersofreference&gendered+language.”Fit”Learntowritelettersofreferenceusingneutrallanguage.Teaching:Usediverseexamplesinteaching,textbooks,lecturesetc.ConsiderEDIawarecurricularofferings.Beawareinclass,whoiscontributing,askingquestions,whatisthecultureofyourclassroom?Learntoteachinclusively(mostLTOoffertraining)Research:LabwebpagewithEDIstatement?Doesyourdepartment?Howdoyouselectresearchstudents(e.g.“volunteers”),graduatestudentsurveysre:climate,safety,etc.ScientificCommunity:Conferencecodeofconduct,runinclusiveconferences,committeerepresentation,awards.

Knowyourself

Trainees (findtrustedmentors&buildyournetwork– socmedia,societies):

Knowyourrights(TAunion,labour law,employmentlaw,humanrights,TitleIX,etc.)Knowyourinstitutionalpolicies.Pickyoursupervisor,committeecarefullyEngagein(orrequest)formalbystandertrainingfordealingwithmicro-,macro-aggressionsGraduateprogramclimatesurveys– requestorimplement,collectdataLookforopportunitiestoadvanceanEDIagendacollectively(seminar,celebrations,LGBTQ+inSTEM,ALD,etc.Findchampionsandsponsors(moreimpactfulthanmentors)Learntoexpect&managepushbackandhostilityDocument,document,document

Membersofdominantgroup(WM,WW..)– askyourcolleaguesabouttheirexperience.Listen.

GraduateprogramscandomuchtowardsintegrationofEDI

Graduateprogramadvisors/directorsshouldbeappointed/rewardedonthebasisofEDIawareness&advancementofEDIprinciples(whichareusuallydefinedasbeinginstitutionalprioritiestoo)

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Discomfort is inevitable. Discomfort is good. Discomfort leads to more innovation. Better outputs ($$)

Have to present ideas more clearly, have to clarify concepts more thoroughly (e.g. lab teams w/ members fr. diff. countries)

Embedding equity, delivering on diversity, achieving real inclusion (i.e. using all the talent) means the best outcomes and the best science.

Sarah Kaplan, IGE, Rotman Sch. Business, U of T

Thank you!

www.ryerson.ca/EDISTEM

March for Science, Toronto, April 14th, 2018

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Men/women are not a single homogenous group.We all have multiple identifiers, intersections, characteristics = Intersectionalities

….. department chair/head answers a question from a candidate for ajob in the department about what EDI activities take place in thedepartment …."That's an American thing. We never talk about diversity here. We just get

on with it and things work.”.

Canadian discomfort with discomfort

June 2018

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-- male prof (eng) who says he always hires girls in the lab because “they work harder and he can pay them less”

- department chair/head tells hiring committee “Don't just pick the candidate wearing the prettiest dress”

- Young gay man in tech hides his life because of tech-bro’ homophobic comments, plus..

All the workshops, mentoring programs & science camps, etc. for women/UR groups in STEM will not

change participation rates of women and UR groups in STEM unless the

culture and workplace also increase accessibility by removing systemic

barriers and bringing in accountability and consequences

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Evidence-informed, data-driven policy changes that address organizational,

institutional, structural & systemic barriers to full EDI in STEM

(Tie to $$ to incentivize)- Data (quan/qual)- Leading practices (UK, Aus, US)

Leadership, education, intentionality, accountability, courage

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First AS Gold in UKDept. Chem - Univ. Yorkhttps://www.york.ac.uk/chemistry/department/athenaswan/

Gold award = prestigiousRSC – AS award #1 in attracting female candidates (dept. seen as family friendly etc. etc.)

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Nameit(lexiconofEDI,ask)Callitout(learnhow,workshops,askforthem)Demandbetter(#accountability,institutionalpolicies)Celebrate(+ve context,SoapboxSci,ALD,IWED,LGBTSTEMetc.)Communicate(networks,socmedia,societies,listen)Community(allies,networks,societies)Copycats(rolemodels,mentors)Champions(moreimp.thanrolemodels,sponsors,mentors)Expectandprepareforpushback&defensivenessTakeindividualresponsibility– thisisonallofus

33Awareness – Education – Action - Outcomes

Integration & application of EDI principles in your community

https://native-land.ca/

A multitude of nations, languages, cultures, perspectives…..

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Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

Women are not a single homogenous group.

There are inequities among women based on colour, age, socioeconomic status…...IntersectionalitiesAcknowledge,learn,respect,recognize,celebrate,accommodate.Recognizeprivilege

Less emphasis on “getting girls interested in STEM”. It is not their problem – it is our problem.

We (adults, parents, employers, teachers, society) have responsibility to start creating a world that welcomes

everyone, a world that looks like a place where everyone belongs, a world that values all contributions, a world that

lets everyone be themselves.

That means that we must get uncomfortable and we must do some hard work. It means employers changing policies.

It means leaders being held accountable.

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Call out gender stereotyping (kids can have all the colours)Do not buy gendered toys, clothing for kids (gifts).

Look at media, marketing, movies, books, video games, etc. How are women represented? (Hint: you can be a princess and an engineer – not a choice!).

Talk about it with girls and boys. Raise boys to be feminists.

Teach men to be allies. Good men must speak up.

Have behavioural expectations and hold people accountable. Educate yourself on gender stereotyping and the harmful effects.

Learn why gender equity is good for men (they might actually live longer and be healthier). Support girls in their goals to be themselves.

Science is a creative endeavour. Bring your creativity. Build confidence. Expect bravery, not perfection.

Less mentoring, more sponsoringBuilding networks, but not expecting women to change

Look at workplace policies (hiring, promotion, leave) – view your workplace, your educational system, your approaches through an EDI lens

Expect and plan for hostility, pushback, discomfort